Conservatives 'sore and disappointed' as opposition parties make significant gains in the South East

The Conservatives have suffered losses across the South and South East in 2023's local elections, in what is the first test for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The South, often referred to as the blue wall, is a 'heartland' for the Conservatives and the party runs a significant number of authorities here.

As the results trickled in overnight seats which were usually blue have been snatched by opposition parties, such as Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

Both parties are hoping to make significant gains across the region as the Tories are expected to make heavy losses.

The Conservatives have held onto Rushmoor Council in Hampshire, but it wasn't without its upsets for the party.

Labour snatched five seats from the incumbent administration, including one that had be held by the Tories for 42 years.

Fernhill was taken by 22-year-old Labour candidate Abe Allen, something which has left the local Conservatives feeling 'sore and disappointed'.

Speaking to ITV Meridian, Abe said he was 'gobsmacked' that he had won the seat.

"I'm so so grateful", he told us. "I cannot describe the overwhelming feeling that I have tonight and I am grateful from the bottom of my heart for every single voter in Fernhill."

Cllr Abe Allen speaks to ITV News Meridian about his win tonight.

David Clifford, Leader of Rushmoor Borough Council, said tonight's result was 'disappointing'.

"We've lost five really good councillors," he told ITV News Meridian. "We completely get people are upset with the government, quite rightly. But locally we really worked hard on regeneration... and delivering good local services.

"We've lost, I want your viewers to realise, we've lost some really good, hard working councillors."

Cllr David Clifford tells ITV Meridian he's disappointed with the results.

More results are due in the coming hours, with key battlegrounds such as Winchester still to declare.

The Liberal Democrats took Windsor from the Conservatives, in what was a shock loss for the party.

Rochester and Strood's Tory MP Kelly Tolhurst said it would be a "difficult night" for her party in Medway, where Labour hopes to gain control of the council.

She told Sky News: "I've been out campaigning for weeks on the doors, speaking to my constituents across the patch and yes, absolutely, there has been some dissatisfaction with the government and people have been frustrated."

But there were also local concerns about "unrealistic housing targets" and the Government's levelling-up agenda, which was seen as focused on the northern England "Red Wall" rather than the south east.